


Stronger Than Gravity

by Ceridawn



Series: Neutral Evil Is Not Mutually Exclusive With Love [1]
Category: Critical Role (Web Series)
Genre: Essek Week (Critical Role), Gen, but he is pretty sure he is doing it right, essek is Protective, essek is new to this Love thing, he loves them, murder of oc, not super detailed, the Nein are his
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-30
Updated: 2020-03-30
Packaged: 2021-03-01 02:00:28
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 757
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23387023
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ceridawn/pseuds/Ceridawn
Summary: Essek Thelyss loves the Mighty Nein.
Relationships: The Mighty Nein & Essek Thelyss
Series: Neutral Evil Is Not Mutually Exclusive With Love [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1682158
Comments: 19
Kudos: 104
Collections: Essek Week





	Stronger Than Gravity

**Author's Note:**

> For day 1 of Essek week, making use of both gravity and shadows. Part of an AU where loving the Nein does not change the fact that Essek is neutral evil.

It was with a private smile that Essek allowed gravity to act upon him. Such a simple thing, relaxing enough to let the laws of the world act upon him. Something that should come naturally. And yet it did not. Only for them, these people he had come to care for beyond anything be believed possible, would he subject himself to the laws of nature. And somehow he did not even mind it, this surrender.

That was a brand of loyalty the queen never would have thought to ask from him, not a show of strength but a surrender of it. From anyone else it would be an insult to even consider asking for it. Not that the Nein knew that, or would ever find out. The things one did for love.

And love them he did. He had always scoffed at the foolish acts and ideals of love, never believed that it was as powerful as so many claimed. Dedication was strong, desire and curiosity. Love and sentiment were tools. And they would break before the realities of the world. But now he knew better. He broke the rules of reality regularly, but the shackles binding him to them were far stronger then any force of gravity or time. Gentler, perhaps, but crueler too. And for all they were chains of a kind, for once in his life he found that he had no desire to break them. 

No, he would greedily take what they gave him. Jester's joy and free affections. Beauregard's awkward but earnest prodding. Fjord's sincere desire to know and guard. Yasha, pained but growing and supportive. Nott, intrusive but protective. Caduceus', who gave too much. Caleb, a similar soul gentle in ways he was not. All of them with a grip on him stronger than any he had ever known.

And what it was to be welcomed to this degree, to know that he could simply walk into their house. No invitation, no guard. Simply trust, because they were family and family trusted one another. He had never understood what that meant before now, not really. But now he did, and he would keep it that way. 

Relaxing into the flickering lights and shadows of their tree, he pulled out his spellbook. Surely Caleb would like to learn a new spell when they returned.

~~~~~~~

Essek glided gracefully through the shadows of Den Krasis. His title was a bit more literal tonight than it normally was. Still, he had practice at this. Plenty of it. And if his queen would not approve of how he was using his skills tonight, it would be far from the first time. And she would not find out about this, just as she had not discovered any of the others.

He was careful with things like this, even if this time the motivation was a bit more personal than usual.

And certainly it was not the most difficult break-in he had ever attempted. Den Krasis should be ashamed of how sloppy their security was. And the Umavi he was coming to see fancied herself a wizard. Really, centuries of knowledge and practice all to come to this? 

Well, it made his job easier.

Entering her study, where careful observation told him she would be at this time of night, he locked the door and readied the spells he would need if she tried to cause a fuss.

He stood there for a moment, observing. Such a fuss she was causing, so caught up in things that truly did not matter. Really, what business of hers was it that he was teaching Caleb Dunamancy. He could take his students where he pleased. If he wanted to teach a human from the empire, that was his decision. Besides, the Nein had done more for Xhorhas than this Umavi could ever dream of doing.

Really, he could have ignored her. Until he heard she was talking about lodging an official complaint. That, he simply could not allow. Who knew how far she would take it? And even when she failed, the Nein would certainly hear about it. And the last thing he wanted was them doubting their place here. No, his family would feel welcome in his city.

Clutching his crystal prism, he cast. This was one of the rare times he was grateful so few had done deep research into dunamacy. It made horrible mistakes so much more common.

And, he thought as he unlocked the door and glided away, so much easier to avoid pesky things like bloodstains.


End file.
